Events

Dubai-based Art Jameel, an independent organization that supports artists and creative communities through various programs and initiatives, announced earlier this week a landmark event: the first Saudi Arabian edition of GPP Slidefest. The event took place in Jeddah on November 1 at the city’s renowned Athr Gallery, in partnership with Gulf Photo Plus (GPP), a renowned photographic organization also based in Dubai.

Image courtesy of Saad Tahaitah

According to Art Jameel’s website, the highly popular format saw inspirational photographers showcasing their latest projects in Saudi Arabia for one-night only, followed by a Q&A session. Featured photographers include Tasneem Alsultan, Nasreen Shaikh Jamal Al Lail, Moath Alofi and Saad Tahaitah from Saudi Arabia; Ammar Al Attar from United Arab Emirates, and from Egypt, Heba Khalifa. As reported by Saudi Gazette, the inaugural Saudi edition of GPP Slidefest aimed to offer photographers of all levels a platform “to showcase recent projects to an engaged audience, share ideas, and hopefully spark future projects from audience members.”

Image courtesy of Tasneem Alsultan

Antonia Carver, who is the director of Art Jameel, said, “Photography Jameel’s autumn 2018 program includes events across Saudi Arabia, including skills development workshops with Waleed Marhoum in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Al-Khobar, plus the debut of GPP Slidefest, in Jeddah. We’re delighted to be partnering with Gulf Photo Plus to bring Slidefest to Saudi Arabia — this is a real celebration of the art of photography, plus an opportunity for audiences to access expertise, hear stories and be inspired.”

Image courtesy of Tasneem Alsultan

Established in 2017, Photography Jameel was created to build on the momentum of the Art Jameel Photography Award (AJPA) that ran between 2010 and 2016. It focuses on year-round learning and community development with workshops, portfolio reviews, talks, and more. With the aim of nurturing the grassroots movement in Saudi Arabia, the programs provide opportunities for photographers and artists to share experiences and techniques, as well as have access to expertise and networks.